The Beijing-Hankou Railway Workers Strike in 1923, also known as the February 7th Massacre, was the first labor movement in China’s history and it signaled that worker’s rights had finally become a priority for the working class in China.

In the wake of the strike the Chinese Communist Party gained massive support as the organizers of the strike. Though the demonstration is considered a failure due to the tragic loss of lives it served to show people across China that Imperialism and Feudal warlords had lost touch with the principals and morals necessary to govern China – an opinion which led to their eventual fall from power.

A violent attack

Labor unions during this period of China’s history had begun to flourish and gain traction in their work to protect the rights of workers.

Beginning on the fourth of February more than 20,000 railway workers went on strike – paralyzing more than 1,900 kilometers of railway

The union presented a serious challenge to the warlords’ financial interests in China – preventing the exploitation and bullying that had become standard practice. In an effort to maintain the status quo the warlords suppressed the union – an act which resulted in the Beijing-Hankou Railway Workers Strike.

Various historical books suggest that Wu Peifu, one of the warlords operating in China at this time, was responsible for the incident by tricking union representatives into joining him for a “peaceful talk.” On the way to the talk troops ambushed the union representatives and more than thirty people were beaten to death with two hundred more seriously injured. In an effort to cleanse the union’s leadership and gut its infrastructure Wu ordered troops to arrest anyone who spoke for the workers – these men were later killed in prison.

Workers nationwide were deeply shocked by this dramatic violent action and in response they organized a defiant, massive strike.

Continued bloodshed

Beijing-Hankou Railway was the source of Wu’s largest revenue stream and was the ideal target of a response to Wu’s massacre. The Chinese Communist Party held a meeting on the first of February in Zhengzhou where leadership made the decision to stage a massive strike. In spite of military suppression and the risk of injury and death Party members agreed on details and committed to act in defiance of Wu.

Beginning on the fourth of February more than 20,000 railway workers went on strike – paralyzing more than 1,900 kilometers of railway. The strike endured for three days before Wu dispatched his troops to put an end to the strike, killing all those who resisted.

A rude awakening

The blood spilled by union members offered China a clear view of the situation that faced workers in China. After the massacres imperialism and feudal warlords became the sworn enemies of many in China who were bent on liberation of the country. Instead of snuffing out the rebellion, Wu’s actions spurred an unprecedented cooperation among China’s population.

The Chinese Communist Party adjusted their revolutionary principles and instead of fighting and dying by themselves they migrated to rural areas in China where the majority of the population resided.

After this incident the Chinese Communist Party gained the popularity needed to pave the way to a future in China. It remains the ruling party in China to this day.